
Ever caught yourself scrolling through your Instagram timeline, seeing pictures of other people looking so good, living their lives in constant travels and shopping, and then thinking God, I’m so lame or I’ll never be like her? Or maybe going to the mall and seeing other people with their glamorous clothes, bags and clear bright skin and then thinking, I’m not pretty enough like her?
“Well, there goes your self-esteem. Down the drain it goes,” the voices say.
It’s these voices in our head that make a sunny day seem gloomy. The worst part about it is that these voices are our own; we’ve become our own critic.
Low self-esteem is when one lacks self-confidence and feels bad about her/himself. Those with low self-esteem tend to hate and constantly blame themselves. They don’t feel that they’re not good enough for anything and are unable to make decisions.
Although low self-esteem is not a mental health problem, the two are closely related. Some experiences of low self-esteem can become symptoms of mental health problems. If these negative experiences continue to happen for a long time, they may lead to mental health problems like anxiety or depression.
And since we wouldn’t want you to go down that direction, we’ve come down with a list of simple yet effective ways to slowly but surely silence that judgmental voice in your head:
No negative self-talk

First things first; you’re all you have so don’t put yourself down. Don’t feed your brain with negative thoughts, because then your body will radiate negativity in different forms, like through your behavior, your personality and your overall outlook in life. Instead, challenge that critical voice in your head against these negative self-beliefs by saying “Hey, stop it!”
Stop comparing

Your self-esteem gets flushed once you start comparing yourself to others; you start to talk negatively to yourself, which violates step one. Remember that you have your own strengths and assets and focus on them even more.
Exercise and eat right

Take care of yourself physically, too! According to Psychology Today, exercising empowers both your physical and mental health and organizes your day around self-care. To add to that, exercising helps improve your sleep patterns making you feel good even more. Pair that with a good and healthy diet, you and your body will feel its best.
Take a 2-minute self-appreciation break

Everyday, take time to look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself three things that you appreciate about yourself. According to the Positivity Blog, doing this does not only boost your esteem, but also turns a negative mood around. For a more powerful boost, write three things you appreciate about yourself in the evening; it may be in your journal or your phone, then you can read them later on the following days to make you feel good about yourself even more.
Be your own best friend

Imagine yourself to be your best friend and say things to yourself the way she/he would tell you. What would your best friend tell you when you’re feeling down? She’ll definitely say, “It’s okay” or “you can do it,” right? So tell that to yourself instead of dwelling on your mistakes. Cheer yourself on. “Go self!”
Be kinder to other people

Be kind and the world will be. Kindness not only brings joy to others, but to you as well. Knowing you’ve made others happy creates a sense of fulfillment. Be of service to others; it makes you appreciate yourself even more when you help others with their problems or even do them some favors.
Forgive

Grudges may sometimes be the reason why you’re down. According to Psychology Today, by holding onto bitter feelings and resentment, we keep ourselves in a cycle of negativity. Think about those people who have caused that grudge and try to forgive him/her for what she did. It’ll lift a load on yourself once you’ve done so.
Spend time with those you love

Surround yourself with a healthy atmosphere and spend time with people who support you, rather than those who let you down. Talk to them about your problems, they’ll say the things you just needed to hear to feel better.
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